Journals of a Argent
by KiariKyoKiba
Summary: AU. It's 2011 and Alexander 'Alex' Argent was content to be a normal sixteen year old, but a relocation due to his father's work to Beacon Hill's ruins all that. Apparently, the town has something against his family, but he has more to deal with then psycho relatives and other non-relative psycho people, he has school. Tests. Exams. He can't fail school. He refuses to fail school.
1. Chapter 1

**So, yeah, I just started writing this and then this came... when I should have been writing something else. I really have to stop paying attention to the shiney new plot-bunnies. But this evolved from one thing to another thing to another thing to this in the course of a day. So really, I have no idea how it's going to turn out. I just wrote. But I hope you like it. Also, while this one has an OC in it, I'm going to have him meddle a _lot_ more in the plot then my other characters do. Because really, I've started to realize that I should step out of Canon when I write these. Or at the least, start in Canon and then completely change it as I go along. So let's see how it goes.**

**Disclaimer:** **I own nothing a part from Alex. Other then him else belongs to their respective owners who are not me in any shape and form. Also, just for your own warning, a few or more - likely more - lines will have been taken from the show itself. **

* * *

It's on the first day of his new school when Alex hears about the murders. He didn't plan on it. He wasn't expecting it. It just happened. Later when he would look turn the TV in his house he would realize that he couldn't have avoided it if he tried. So, he supposes, it was better that he heard it then and there.

"It's been happening for a while, hasn't it?" The girl in front of him whispers to her friend who had been giggling before but now is silently nodding her head. Their voices aren't that loud in the classroom compared to other's but Alex can hear perfectly over the commotion around them.

His head is facing downwards, his chin resting on his right hand, a bored look upon his face and his right ear is angled towards them ever so slightly. Not overly so, but enough that he wouldn't be picked out for eavesdropping on a conversation.

That's all he would need.

"Yeah." The girl who had been nodding replied after the pause. Her voice just as quiet as the one who had spoken first. "I heard they still don't know did it."

Her friend nods her head. "Yeah. I heard that as well. But..." it's then her gaze flickers around the classroom in front of her for a few seconds, wary and large eyes open, "you don't suppose that they're just saying that?"

The other girl's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on Kelly," the other sighed. "You know what sometimes happens. Sometimes everything goes to plan and they catch the bad guy. Other times something goes wrong and they don't. Maybe," she bites her lip, "maybe, something went right. Perhaps they found him, and they had to shoot him... so the guy's dead. They killed him. But just won't admit it until later."

"But if he was dead Miranda," Kelly says looking slight put out at the idea. Not sorry that the person could be dead, Alex realizes, but more along the times that she doesn't want her friend worried. "The Police could admit it openly. While it would bad on them, it wouldn't really have that much affect considering..." Kelly pauses and, while uncomfortable, she gives a meaningful look towards Miranda.

Miranda seemed to already know what the other meant. "Considering that my sister is dead," she whispers quietly and Alex blinks in surprise, barely managing to keep his face from expressing it. That explains it then, he thinks, it's nothing that interesting. Just another person's dead and the people around that person are trying to deal. It wasn't anything new. Alex had seen it many times before.

He's about to back to ignoring them when the next words she says filters through his brain and he can't help but get re-interested once again. Perhaps he was too hasty in his decision. He had been before several times.

"I know I should be over it by now," Miranda admits with a sigh, "it's been two months. But I just can't get over what that person did to Lucy. I mean... it was one thing to kill her, but to rip her apart so bad we could identify her?" Miranda shakes her head and wipes her eyes. "And that wasn't all Kelly," she whispers quietly, voice hoarse and looking as if the tears are about to fall at any minute. "The person who did it, - the sick bastard, they took her heart with them. Some fucking twisted trophy the police were saying."

Well, Alex thought as he watched Kelly try to calm her hysterical friend down, that certainly escalated faster then he thought it would have. But it was interesting. Perhaps, he allowed himself to think, Beacon Hill's wouldn't be as boring as he expected it to be. That and his aunts words of encouragement about the town could be simplified into the words of; 'it's going to suck.'

He really shouldn't trust his Aunt as much as he did. It appeared she was wrong.

The door opened and the teacher came in the classroom, the class falling silent in response, and Alex sighed when he saw the teacher looking at the register, looks like he'd have to do another introduction.

He wondered if his sister was having a better day.

* * *

It turned out that his sister did have a better day then he did, or at least, she claimed to have had a better start to the day then he had. "Did you have to do the introductions as well?" He checked as he leaned against the locker next to hers.

Allison made a noise of conformation as she put some of her text books, that she didn't need for the rest of the day, into her locker. "Yeah. The principal introduced me in the first class but after that I had to do the rest."

"Lucky you," Alex told her, watching as she closed the locker and turned the key. "The principle didn't even do that for me. And I came at the same time as you. Favoritism strikes again."

Allison smiles but before she could say anything in return a voice cut through. "Allison." Both of them turned to face the owner of the voice and Alex raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. It was a girl with near ginger hair, strawberry-blonde he believed it was termed as, and green eyes. She reminded him of a feline instantly. All purrs and seductive glances, confidant and classy. Alex would be lying if he didn't say she was attractive.

But he had the feeling she was already taken.

Not that he minded at all. In fact, it probably worked better in his favour. It meant he wouldn't be as tempted to indulge. Alex had never been one to take another's partner. No matter how attractive they were. It wasn't his style.

"Who's this?" She asked with curious glance in his direction. Probably wondering if he was new or if she hadn't seen him before. The latter would be insult, the former acceptable.

It was Alex who answered. With smile towards her he held his hand. "Alex Argent," he introduced himself, "I'm Allison's brother. And you are?" The question was innocent but she could take it the wrong way if she wanted too.

She didn't. "Lydia Martin." She introduced herself as she shook his hand. Her fingers more delicate then he expected they would be. She stepped back afterwards. "How come I haven't seen you today?" Or heard that you were around, Alex supposed was the real question.

"Different classes." He said in response as he gazed around the hallway, suddenly noticing that there were more eyes on them then he had thought. But was it any surprise? He and his sister are the new kids, Lydia was probably the most popular in the school. It was politics. High School Politics.

They were silent for a few minutes before Lydia spoke up, eyes still on Alex, but speaking and facing Allison. Alex relaxed. "That jacket is absolutely killer. Where'd you get it?"

"My mum was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco." Alex closed his eyes as he inhaled, how he missed those days in San Francisco. They'd only been gone from there for a few weeks and already he missed their old home. Dammit, he thought, why did their father get relocated. They where happy there. Well, maybe not happy, but they had been better there then Alex was convinced they would be in the small town they currently resided in.

"And you are my best friend," Lydia said with a smile at his sister and Alex fought his own smile. This was good, Allison was making friends. Even if it was a little fake at the moment, he got the feeling Lydia rarely said anything she didn't mean in some form. Which was good. For all he didn't want to be here, it didn't mean he wanted his sister to be friendless. No, not that much. "Hey, Jackson," Lydia greeted the boy who had suddenly appeared at her side and kissed her.

Jackson, it appeared, was the boyfriend that Alex had known was around somewhere. With short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a rather impressive face if slightly gaunt and arrogant looking, Jackson Whatever-His-Last-Name-Is certainly fitted the image that Alex hadn't had in his head.

It was a couple of minutes before Lydia spoke again, having been content in kissing her boyfriend. Allison and Alex had shared awkward looks through out it, both wanting to get away and go somewhere else. "So," Lydia said, "this weekend, there's a party at someone's house. It hasn't been decided who, but we'll know by Wednesday. " She paused for a moment, "Thursday at the latest."

"A party?" Allison asked.

Jackson nodded his head. "Yeah," he said. "Friday night." His eyes went to Alex. "You should come. It'll be fun."

Hmm, party. That sounded interesting. Would they be able to go? They should, their mother and father would be okay with it as long as they came back before midnight. Alex was about to say this when Allison spoke up, her eyes telling him to agree and not argue with her. "Uh, we can't." Allison said for them. "It's family night this Friday. Thanks for asking."

Jackson's eyes flickered towards Allison before they went back to Alex. "You sure?" He asked. "Everyone's going after the scrimmage."

"Like Football?" He asked, speaking up for the first time since Jackson arrived.

Jackson scoffed. "Football's a joke here in Beacon." Huh, first time Alex had heard the Beacon Hills name without the Hill part attached. "The sport here is lacrosse." That explained why Football was a joke... but what about Basketball? He was about to ask that when Jackson carried on with what he was talking about. "We've won the state championship for the past three years." Jackson looked like a preening peacock.

Lydia smiled at Jackson, who had his arm around her waist, pulling him in for a kiss. "Because of a certain team captain." Alex would have scoffed had the captain been anyone other then Jackson but Jackson gave off the vibe that he would do anything to succeed. He was the type that wanted to be perfect in everything he tried his hand at. Alex knew the type better then he wanted too.

Jackson's eyes lit up as he smiled at Lydia before he turned back to the two siblings. "Well, we have practise in a few minutes." He was asking if they wanted to watch him. "That is," he backtracked, "if you don't have anywhere else."

Alex liked Jackson. "I'm free." He said. "For the next hour or half or so." Besides, what's up with this 'lacrosse' thing. He heard Allison speak up, about to say that she wasn't coming when he spoke again. "Allison's free as well. We're not being picked up for a while." He sent her a look. Payback. If he couldn't go to the party on Friday, then she would have to join him in watching 'lacrosse.' Allison made a face but nodded her head.

Lydia smiled. "Perfect."

* * *

"So," Alex asked Jackson as they walked down the hallway towards the sports area, the girls having decided to meet them after, "what's up with lacrosse."

Jackson's head swirled to face him, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"As in what is lacrosse?" Alex repeated before going into more detail when he saw the other's face. "I've never played it before. Never even heard of it before today. So, I'm interested."

The other male nodded his head, and while looking as if Alex had paraded around naked, he explained what lacrosse was. "Lacrosse is a team game." Was the first thing he said, Alex nodded. He knew team games. Liked them even. At least until they went wrong. "You have a small rubber ball and a stick. The stick has mesh loosely strung at the top so it can catch the ball. It's also a game you can make physical contact with your opponents in. You can hurt them, as in bump into them and stuff, but you can't go overboard. There's penalties, like most games. But the entire point of the game, really, is to either get the ball past the goalie on the other side or make sure the other team doesn't get the ball past your goalie."

"Positions?"

"Four. Midfield. Attack. Defense. Goalie."

"What can you do with the lacrosse stick?"

"You can throw, catch, cradle, and pass."

"Seems kinda limited," Alex noted.

"It is." Jackson agreed. "But it's a good game."

"I guess that's all that matters then." Alex concluded as they neared the area.

"What sport have you played?" Jackson suddenly asked before they reached the door leading to the sports area, making Alex stop and look at him in surprise. "What?" Jackson defended himself. "You have more muscle then kids who don't exercise do. Also it's defined. Mostly on your legs and arms, possibly also your shoulders."

"Basketball." Alex said.

"Position?"

"Shooter."

"Makes sense," Jackson commented. Alex gave him a confused look but was interrupted by someone calling Jackson's name. "Ah," Jackson said, knowing who the person was, "I wondered where you were. I haven't seen you since our last class."

The male, dark eyed, skin a few shades darker than Alex's own, - which considering how pale he was it wasn't that hard to have, - smiled at Jackson, showing dimples. "I could ask the same thing. I had Lydia where you where. Normally, it's the other way 'round." The male glanced at Alex who smiled at him in return.

"New guy," he introduced himself once again, "brother of the new girl you've probably already met."

The male smirked. "Does the new guy have a name?"

"Perhaps." Alex laughed. "And it goes along the lines of Alex Argent. Does the male before me have a name?"

"Danny Mahealani," the boy, now known as Danny tells him.

"Are you two done now?" Jackson cuts in before Alex can comment on Danny's last name. It's an odd one, and Alex being, well, Alex couldn't help but notice it. "Anyway, new guy here." He pointed his thumb in the direction of Alex as he rummaged through the bag, a large white and red one, that Danny had given him. "Has never seen lacrosse before."

Now it's Danny sending Alex the weird look. "I was in San Francisco until a few weeks ago, okay. Also, I played Basketball. Not lacrosse." He defended himself before a smile curved his lips upward. "How about this," he compromised, "I watch you play lacrosse. In return, you two have play Street ball with me."

"Street Ball?" Danny and Jackson ask together and Alex and immediately tell that these two are friends. Best of friends. BFFs.

"Non-professional, school-like, formal game of Basketball." Alex said. "It's informal. You don't need two players of five to play. Well," he added on, "you can but you don't have to. It's a lot less strict."

Danny and Jackson shared a look. Each thinking through his offer. They shared another look after a few minutes. "Alright then," Jackson agreed, "you watch us and we'll play Streetball with you at some point."

Alex smile was all teeth. "Deal."

* * *

The game of lacrosse, for all it didn't hold Alex's attention as much as Basketball did, - which really he was being unfair in comparing it to, - it did prove to be an experience for several involved. For Alex, himself, it was entertaining to see another game, played by a school, treated in such a way. Even if the coach, apparently a teacher as well, was slightly... weird.

For Jackson it seemed to have relighted a fire within him, although the other boy would not admit it, he might not be the best in lacrosse any more. He might not be perfect. His place in the team was under threat, from a boy by the name of Scott McCall. A no-name kid, according to Jackson, who he had known his entire life and never before shown any possible greatness in sports had suddenly stepped out of hole Jackson had placed him into. Scott McCall, by the beginning of the next morning, had become someone to notice.

Jackson really didn't like that. He was convinced the other was doing drugs. Taking something. "How else could it have happened?" He said, eyes slightly wide, inhaling deeply and for intents and purposes, looking as if he was about to commit homicide. Alex hadn't been that inclined to mention that it could have been by practice. Jackson hadn't seen Scott McCall in over three months, and while his appearance might have not changed, who knows how many a day the boy had spent practicing in hopes of making First Line and getting off the side bench.

If he had, it worked, and Alex commended him. Good going. Alex liked people like that.

It sounded like something out of a comedy.

Or at least it did until Alex had found out from Lydia, who looked a little too amused then she should have, that Allison had been asking about Scott McCall. Allison, his little sister, had been asking about Scott McCall, who she apparently knew. "Oh," Lydia said when he asked her, "she didn't tell you?" Of course not, he wanted to snarl at her, Lydia had interrupted her before she could. "He gave her a pencil in class. She hadn't brought one, forgot it at home."

Alex inhaled deeply at her words. Okay, so that meant no more having no pencils. Allison would have a few new pencils in her bag by the next morning. She wouldn't need to ask anyone for any pencils. That was taken care of. Good. "Anything else?"

"She was planning on going on a drive tonight." Lydia said. "Why?"

"Nothing." He assured her with a smile that didn't seem to assure her if her face could be taken into account. "I just wanted to know." He looked at his watch and widened his eyes for affect. "I have to go now," he told her the girl as he closed his locker and turned the key.

"To where?"

"Home."

"I just remembered I had to do something before my parents' get home." He said, not lying at the least. If his parents found out that he was going to do what he was planning he would be grounded. Which was fine. Only, he wouldn't be the one grounded. It would be his sister.

Sometimes he really was cruel.

* * *

**So Question Time!**

**1\. What did you think? **

**2\. Has it gone okay? **

**3\. How do you think things will go? **

**4\. What do you think he'll do to get Allison grounded? **

**5\. What do you think of Alex's character? **

**6\. Also, while I'm at it, what things do you think he'll change?**

**7\. What do you think has already changed?**

**Apart from that, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**\- KiariKyoKiba.**


	2. Chapter 2

**And the second chapter is now here. **

**Disclaimer:** **I own nothing in this that belongs to anyone else. The only thing I own is Alex.**

* * *

Alex is driving down the road. It's near midnight, not many cars are around, the street lamps are lit up, his headlights are on, he's alone and all he can think about is how he got into this situation in the first place. It's, like most things, his own fault. He couldn't place the blame anyone else, not that he wanted to.

His plan to get his sister grounded for the night had worked.

Okay, perhaps it hadn't even happened. His parents' had been in the house when he had arrived and completely ruined his plan before it had even started. Figures, he had thought at the time with a sigh. He had resorted to the task of simply asking his sister not to leave the house. Offering himself in her place. His mother, hearing this, had jumped at the opportunity he had unthinkingly given her.

That, in the end, was what had landed him his current predicament; he was shopping for several items. In the dark. In a town he had only moved into a week before. Where, apparently, a violent killer was on the loose. And -

His thoughts were cut off by a clear, crisp and robotic voice. "Please turn right at the junction straight ahead." And he had to use a damn GPS. He glared at the offending equipment even as he proceeded to follow it's orders. He hated GPS's with a passion. They were annoying, sometimes malfunctioned and had a habit of telling him things he already knew.

But he could live with it for the moment. For today, and probably for the next few days that would turn into weeks that would turn into months of horror. He'd figure it out by the end of the year. If he didn't he would just use Google Maps, it had served him well over the years. Brilliantly, actually. It didn't speak, only stared at him with a blank look.

Wait, he frowned as he thought about what he had just thought, could a phone stare at you? He didn't think they could. They were phones. They didn't have faces. Or they shouldn't have faces unless it had a picture on, then it was that person staring through at you looking the exact same as they did in the photo when they might be older then they had been at the time when it was staring at you.

He shook his head. Maybe he shouldn't think about phones. They tended to freak him out when it didn't involve texting. He liked texting. But he was driving so he couldn't text. Also he didn't have the energy to park and text. He had to get to a shop.

Alex eventually managed to find the shop. It was a small one compared to the ones he was used to, but the lights were on and a giant glowing board above it shared that it was open 24/7. That was one thing, but what had he expected? Beacon Hill's wasn't like his home before, it was small and compact, still had the places and buildings it should have had but missed a few.

It took him over ten minutes to get what he needed and pay at the till. Several of them was wasted standing in line, a short line but he had felt the time ticking by. Although the ticking could have been the clock on the wall. Another few was spent answering the questions the rather nosy cashier had asked him, curious to see if he was new as she hadn't seen him before. He had told her the truth. He was new and had to make it home before midnight. With a smile.

She had got the hint and proceeded to flash through the rest of his orders without much hassle.

Which led to him now driving back to his house, his hands tapping the steering wheel in the tune of a song he couldn't place, and his eyes moving from in front of him to the mirrors around him. He hadn't put any music on. There was no reason to put any on. It would only distract him and driving was one of the times when it was better to be distraction free.

God, he thought, he was strict at times.

Maybe he should lighten up. That's what Allison tended to say to him, crinkles around her eyes, that he should lighten up, that he shouldn't take everything so seriously. He couldn't say she was unfounded in her words, he did take most things seriously. Or, really, he had taken most things seriously before they had moved. He bit the inside of his cheek, maybe his father had been right, perhaps he needed a break from San Francisco. He just hadn't realized it at before the now. It was possible.

He inhaled. What was it about the night that made him think about things he would have rather not thought about. The stillness. The silence. The atmosphere. He was getting poetic. He should stop while he was ahead. He did. Instead he, once again, focused on the road.

It was only a mile down the road, he was now on something that resembled a one way highway-path thingie when something at the side of the road drew his attention. He narrowed his eyes as he looked left and right before drawing to a stop. No one else on the road, and if he was lucky, he would hear them before they even managed to reach him.

Getting his seatbelt off took a minute as it had put up a fight. His right hand paused at the drivers door before he opened it, something jumping to mind, using his left hand he opened the glove compartment and pulled out the torch. He would have to thank his father for it one day. He would, just later on.

He stepped out the car slowly, whatever had drawn his attention had been quite big, he didn't want to upset it and be the cause of his own incident. He steps were small and exaggerated as he moved forwards towards the bush that had captured his attention. Moving the flash light so it faced the ground below the bush, he noticed two large eyes staring out a him.

Alex made a small soft noise as he moved closer. Still slow and over using his body movements to slow he wasn't a threat, he crouched down and could finally see what it was. It was a dog. Medium to large sized with wary brown eyes, he can't see the colour of it's fur but he thinks it'll be white. A muted white with the dirt clinging to it. It seems like that kind of dog. Alex slowly held out his hand, relaxing it so it went limp before he stopped right it outside the bush. It would have to come out to sniff him.

He wasn't worried about it biting him, he had could take care of the bite mark within minutes. He had a medicine pack in the boot. But there was the possability of the dog feeling the tension and getting the wrong idea; he didn't want the dog to think he would hurt it.

Alex wasn't one to hurt animals. He never had been.

It takes the dog several minutes but eventually a small dark nose at the end of white fur pokes out of the bushes, loudly sniffing as it inches closer to the Argent male. Before long he has a large white dirtied dog sitting in front of him, it's ears perked as it's head tilted to the side. He wonders how it can be so trusting. It looks malnourished, ill, starving; as if it'll kneel over at any second and he won't be able to stop it in time. At least though he'll be able to pick it up. That, in it's own right, was a not-so silver lining.

Something hits his head in that moment, before he can reach the dog, and his head jerks up in response as he shakes his head and glares up at the sky. He fights against the urge to swear as he comes to the realization that it's raining. Instead he groans and bites the inside of his mouth gently as he moves his head downwards so he is facing the dog once more.

Surprisingly, to Alex, it hasn't moved from it's spot. It's still staring at him with large sad eyes and a tilted head and perked up ears. It hasn't, like him, jerked away from the rain that's started in a slow drizzle and would, at some point, pick up speed.

Making a face and glancing up and down the road Alex came to a decision that he would most likely be told off for when he got home. "Alright then," he said as he stared into brown eyes, before he stood up from his crouching position and streaked. His bones and joints and muscles starting to ache ever so slightly having become locked from crouching.

Moving towards his car he opened the door to the back seats and turned to the dog. It's head was tilted even more to the side then it had already been and it looked as if it was about to get up and follow him. "Are you coming or what?" He asked the dog with a gesture towards the inside of his car that it seemed to understand.

A few minutes later both were in the car. The dog, in the back, lying on a blanket he had taken from the boot. It's eyes watching him curiously as it breathed in and out. He was putting the seat belt on as he reached for his phone and started to type in a text.

He didn't know where he was going and he was running out of time. Better to ask someone for directions or, if directions weren't possible, a name.

His phone beeped as he turned the car engine back on and he glanced towards it on the passenger's side. Looks like the person had replied back. That was fast.

He wasn't going to complain.

* * *

Alex parked as quietly as he could once he reached the street the text had requested him to go to. Cutting off the engine, he relaxed in his seat as he yawned and glanced at the clock. It was almost half-ten. Another hour and his family would start phoning and texting to see where he was.

The dog, in the back-seat, whined a little. He sent it a small smile, meaning to calm it down. He didn't want it to start barking and draw attention towards them. "Don't worry," he said to it as he reached behind his seat and patted it's fur. "I just needed to make a stop to pick someone up, they know their way around here. I'm new, just moved in a while back. We'll get someone to help you in a few more minutes. We'll just have to wait."

Thankfully the dog seemed to understand what he was trying to convey as it settled down and stopped whining. Only for it to start growling.

Alex sighed. Just what he needed, a dog growling for no reason in the middle of the night. At least, he thought to himself, trying to cheer himself up, it wasn't raining. The rain having stopped a while back.

A knock on the passenger side of the door had both him and the dog's head whipping towards the window. The dog, no longer growling, but still tense.

Alex's eyes narrowed as he started at the window before he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry," he repeated to the dog with a smile, "I know him." Reaching over he pulled the door handle and watched as the other male slipped into the car.

Giving a yawn and shaking his head while ruffling his hair, Jackson Last-Name-Now-Known Whittmore sent him glare as he shut the door behind him and pulled on the seatbelt.

"Okay," Jackson said looking annoyed and exhausted, "what is this about?" He held up his phone and shook it to make it clear what he was talking about.

"Nothing much," Alex went with a shrug and non-committed answer. Surely the other boy would look at the back of the car and notice the now quiet dog that was blending in well with the blanket it was on.

"You texted me in the middle of the night." Jackson said, refusing to look in the back. "Asking for directions. For no reason at all." He breathed in. "Just tell me the truth before I punch you and get out of the car."

Alex merely blinked back in innocence before smiling. "Fine." He answered, "I saw a dog in the bushes at the side of a road, decided it needed help but had no idea were the local vet is."

"Which leads us to now." Jackson concluded with a nod. "So," he asked as he started to get more comfortable in the seat, "where's the dog?"

Alex started the engine for the fourth time that night as he manoeuvred it out of the parking space. "In the back. Also, FYI, it's a boy." He was sent another glare as Jackson glanced behind him and finally noticed the dog. "So," Alex said as he started to tap his fingers' against the steering wheel, "where are we going? Because we're reaching the junction that leads out of your street and I have no idea which way to turn."

"The left," Jackson answered as he stared out of the passenger seat window, blue eyes narrowed. "You owe me for this," he stated after a few minutes of silence and Alex nodded his head at the other's words.

He did owe him.

A lot.

* * *

They do manage to reach the vet's before the clock strikes eleven. Something Alex's glad for and Jackson just seems to find amusing. It took them a while due to Jackson forgetting some of the directions and some of the lanes going only one way when they needed to turn the other.

Vowing to find another route to the vet another day the two teenagers' parked in the parking lot of the Vet's. "Anything I need to know about the vet?" Alex questioned as the pulled off their seatbelts and Jackson stretched his arms sending a look around towards the dog.

Jackson shrugged. "I don't know," he answered. "I've never met him in person. Haven't even seen him before. All I know is he's the vet."

Alex had only one reaction to that news. "Sinister."

"I know," Jackson agreed, "but Danny, you remember Danny?" At Alex's nod he carried on. "Well, he had a pet a few years ago, it was a hamster of something, anyway it got ill. He said that he and his parent's took it to the vet," he pointed towards the aforementioned veterinary, "and it got better."

Alex read between the lines that might have not even been there. "In other words, the only proof we have, that we can trust the vet, is from hear-say. Nothing physical."

Jackson nodded his head a little to enthusiastically in Alex opinion as they moved towards the door. Both of them having come to an agreement during the car ride that they would make sure eveything was okay before they left the dog in the care of the vet. Jackson had groaned and rolled his eyes, calling Alex a mother hen, nit had relented and agreed. Apparently, he didn't want to get on Alex's bad side.

Which was weird to the other male, since Alex was sure he didn't have a bad side to speak of, much less be scared of. He would have said that but chose not to look the gift horse in the mouth and stayed quiet. Jackson didn't seem to be the kind of person that agreed with people that often.

It's eerily quiet as they step into the Veterinary, the animals aren't making a sound, the walls are painted white and there's a duo of metal or steel tables surrounded by equipment a little further in. Jackson's just as tense as Alex is, but he's hiding it better, masking it by faking confidence and trying to ignore the signs that look straight out of a horror Movie.

Jackson, Alex admitted inwardly and didn't think he would ever have to say out loud, would make a good actor. He had the potential. Probably getting type-casted in the process as a arrogant guy brought down a few pegs. But not before he made a decent amount of money that, depending on how he spent it, would last him a few years. Hmm, perhaps he would try to get Jackson into Drama. He didn't think it would work, but he would try.

It's the sound of a door opening behind them that makes the two boys turn around, wary and skittish. Like the dog must have been.

In front of them is a another male, his head bald and his skin a dark brown and his beard, oddly reminiscent of the Joker from Batman to Alex, slightly greying. This man, with his long white over coat and curious eyes, was the Veterinarian. He didn't look surprised to see them, nor did he tell them to leave, that the Veterinary is closing and they'll have to wait another day. He just pauses and stares.

Alex wants to run out the building and never look back. Jackson's tense form beside him allows him to know that he's not alone in that thought.

Alex breathes in and starts to speak. "Uh," he starts and ignores the glare Jackson sends towards him as the Vet's attention is turned to the Argent. "We, kind of, need your help."

"Kind of?" Jackson cuts in with a look of his face that says he doesn't agree with the wording. "There is no 'kind of'." Now it's the blonde's turn to step up to bat. He turns to face the amused looking Vet. "What he," a thumb is pointed over the blonde's shoulder towards Alex, "is saying is that he found a dog at the side of the road and it needs your help."

"He," Alex says after Jackson is done. "He needs your help." The dog may not have a name at this point but Alex refuses to let it's masculinity be ignored. The Veterinarian nods his head his head in understanding.

"Where is the dog," he asks.

"In the car." Jackson tells him as they head towards the car that the dog is currently inside.

The dog is just where they left him. In the back of Alex's car, curled up on the blanket and staring out at them with wide brown eyes. "Hmm," the Veterinarian hums as he catches sight of the dog. "I didn't know there were German Shepherds in Beacon Hills."

"German Shepherd?" Alex repeats and shares a look with Jackson, "really? He doesn't look like one."

"Not all German Shepherds' are Black and Tan. Some, like this one, are white." The Veterinarian informs them as he leads the dog out the car and into the Veterinary building where he looks over the dog several time. "Physical wise, apart from being malnourished and needing food, the dog is okay. Temperment, at this point of time, is good and calm. Other then that, at this point, I can't tell you any more. I'll need to take a few blood tests and things like that to make sure everything else is okay."

The two teenagers nodded their heads along with words. That was good to hear, both had been worried that there was something more up with the dog then just that. "So," Jackson said, "we leave the dog in your care and come back tomorrow to see how things are?"

The Veterinarian nods. "My name is Alan Deaton," he finally introduces himself. "You can call me Dr. Deaton. If anything shows up that I need to tell you who should I contact?"

"Me." Alex volunteers before Jackson can open his mouth to say Alex's name. Deaton passes him a piece of paper that he had gotten out of a folder that Alex fills in. It's just his contact information, which he easily gives out but it takes him a few more minutes to remember his address.

Passing it back to Deaton he sends him a smile and turns around. "Come on Jackson, we have to leave now. See you tomorrow Doc." Jackson makes a sound of agreement and follows him out. Neither of them hear Deaton's own goodbye.

**And there it is.**

**How is it?**

**Anyway, you'll be happy to hear I now have a vague idea about what I want to do with the story. But, it is only vague, so who knows how it'll turn out. **

**Thanks for reading. **

**\- KiariKyoKiba.**


	3. Chapter 3

**And so here is chapter 3. To be honest I had most of this written a while back but I wasn't able to find in what direction I want the story to go in. But after a few movies I decided what I wanted to do. So here it is!**

**Also, some of you might be wondering if this is going to be Jackson/Alex and it will, in a platonic bromantic way that could, and will if I have it my way, get misconstrued for amusement purposes. **

**Chapter 3**

Alex was not expecting at all for Jackson to be standing on the other side of his front door with a rather annoyed expression at seven in the morning the next day. But that's how his day starts out. With him just only having gotten dressed minutes before opening the front door and Jackson, dressed and ready for school, standing outside with a face that told him he would have to do what Jackson ordered him to do or the other would kill him.

Alex only has two questions at this point; One; How did Jackson know where he lived? And Two; Why was Jackson standing at his door at seven in the morning on a Tuesday? School didn't start until a little after half-eight.

He answers his first question by himself, of course Jackson would know where he lived. Beacon Hills was a small town, one where everyone knew who everyone was and had lived with them as neighbors for so many years they pretty much knew each other like the back of their hands.

Besides the town probably didn't get that many newcomers nowadays, he knew his and his sister's arrival was big news, where they lived had likely been one of the details mentioned about them.

Alex didn't know if he liked the thought of a bunch of strangers' knowing where he lived but shrugged it off. Jackson wasn't so bad and it was seemingly, from what he had observed and watched on TV, a small town thing.

His second question is answered when Jackson all but tosses his phone at Alex who manages to catch it and looks down at the screen.

"Oh." Is his reaction as he realizes what has put Jackson in his rather unfortunate foul mood. Which had nothing to do with the other male not being a morning person.

"Oh?" Jackson mocks him as the blonde continues to g;are at the Argent still standing on his front porch. "That's your reaction? Your only reaction? Not a 'sorry Jackson but I gave the Vet your number instead of my own?' Or even a 'sorry, I didn't mean to do that without your permission?'"

Alex winces. "Okay," he sighs as he scratches the back of his head and steps over the threshold and closes the door behind him, he didn't want his parents or Alison to hear anything about the dog. It wouldn't end well for anyone, especially the dog, if his parents knew.

They had something against all dogs for some reason. And Alex didn't want to be known as the boy with dog hating parents. That type of fact on his personal History would not look good.

"I know that you are angry. I get it. But I couldn't do my own phone number. My parents' don't like dogs and would kill me if they knew I had helped a dog."

Jackson sends him a look that screams that he doesn't believe Alex as he starts to walk beside the male. After all, what kind of person hated dogs? Especially weak, very much helpless, dogs that were shivering in the cold.

Chris and Victoria Argent apparently.

"I'm serious," Alex refutes the silent 'really?' aimed at him. "They don't like Dogs at all." He'd had to sit through one too many talks about putting down vicious but innocent dogs during awkward family dinners with his Grandparents and Aunt. He didn't want to have to sit through another about saving animals that shouldn't even exist let alone be seen.

God, Alex sighed mentally in resigned confusion, what the hell did his weird family have against dogs? He tells Jackson this as they continue to walk down the path, leaving out the detail of awkward family dinners filled with pleased looks about killing dogs.

Unfortunately Jackson doesn't need to hear about the family dinners to figure out that something else is there. He scoffs, shaking his head. "Your parents are weird."

Alex doesn't say anything to show is disagreement with the statement. He doesn't really disagree. "So," he asks as soon as they reach Jackson's car and they get in, "what brings you here at his time of morning?"

Jackson sends him a annoyed look as he puts his keys into the car and ignites the engine. "Did you read the text?" The blond asks as he revs. Alex shakes his head. He didn't get the chance to read the text, not when he had been to busy apologising to Jackson. Jackson makes a sound in the back of his throat that sounds disappointed before he speaks once more. "The Vet says the dog hasn't shown up in the Missing Pets Database, so it's a stray. He mentioned something about giving it some jags and making sure it was friendly."

Alex winces at the mention of jags, he hated the mention of them enough as it was without the thought of getting once himself. Poor dog, he thought, perhaps it would have been better off in the rain than with the Vet.

"I feel bad for the dog," he comments to Jackson who only nodded his head in response for even the blond, apparently, shared a sense of solidarity with Alex over the thought of needles.

"Nothing we can do about it," Jackson response bluntly as he turns the wheel once more to turn right. "It needs to have them. It's best that it does."

They fall into a comfortable silence and Alex positions his head slightly so that he can stare out the window at the passing sights. It was the same sight but the light from the sun made it look different then it did in the night and it took a while for Alex to recognize where they were. They were nearing the school. He glanced at the digital clock in the car and frowned, it was only half-seven now, they wouldn't have to go in for another hour.

"Food," Jackson said without anymore of a prompt than a glance at the clock, "there's a small café near the school that we sometimes go to." Alex arched an eyebrow, going to a café where both Jackson and Lydia, - he didn't have to ask if it was Lydia, she seemed like the type that would be able to convince Jackson to sit down in a cafe without any complaints from the male - what would the neighbors think?

He didn't say that out loud though, he wasn't stupid. Jackson would kill him and hide his body in a ditch somewhere that everyone in the town knew of but never spoke about it as it was said to be cursed. He halted his thoughts and glanced warily at the now glaring Jackson.

Jackson wouldn't do that. Not his style. Alex noticed they had stopped and Jackson had parked the car and was now tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. On second thought, maybe he would. This _was_ Jackson after all and it seemed almost as if anything would set the male off.

Absently Alex's thoughts were drawn to the male he had seen playing lacrosse yesterday as he got out of the car. Scott McCall, he remembered, the guy who his sister had been eyeing with interest. He scowled, what was up with that? She had only just got in town, it was her first day at school and already she had her eye on a guy?

"What are you thinking about?" Jackson asked as soon as the waitress walked away. Alex broke out of his thoughts and looked around the café Jackson had herded him into when he wasn't paying attention. It was a small, homely quaint little building that was sending out a comfortable vibe that asked for its clients to be calm. The waiters and waitresses, all of which were dressed in matching uniforms of the male and female variations, were taking their time as they walked around and asked for orders, they weren't rushing at all.

It wasn't like San Francisco nor any of the other cities they had been at over the years at all.

"Nothing much," he says not wanting to talk about the McCall boy that Jackson had something against, the other male had been in a pleasant mood so far after the initial annoyance over Alex giving the Vet his phone number. "Just dreading how much work we'll get handed in the next few weeks."

"You're already thinking about the tests aren't you," Jackson stated blankly, "they're still months away and you shouldn't have any problems with them. The teachers," he continued to assure Alex after giving the waitress a nod of gratitude as she placed the order he had ordered for them both on the table, "will go over it anyway."

Alex relaxed at the words, while it hadn't been the most pressing matter in his head, - that was saved for Allison and McCall, - or even in the top five it had been one of them. He had heard one too many horror stories about failing grades and possible punishments to think failing was a good idea.

"So what classes do we even have today?" Alex inquires sipping on the Hot Chocolate that Jackson had ordered for him, with a shrug and answer of 'everyone likes Hot Chocolate.'

Jackson takes a bite from his sandwich before answering. "Harris. Coach. Daniels. Evans. Brooke. Evelyns. Then Lacrosse Practise." Alex doesn't comment that Jackson didn't answer his question, he just nods his head slowly and continues to drink his Hot Chocolate.

Maybe he would come again to the café one day with or without Jackson and order some more. It tasted nice.

* * *

The second day of school goes much like the first, with a few smiles and introductions of who he is and where he came from and why he was there, with the only difference being that some of his classes were with his sister.

It was a change that Alex appreciated, normally he was in classes with Jackson or Danny the only other class he had with his sister besides this one was the one taught by Harris.

A class so traumatic Alex had already forgotten the name.

Alex tries to pay attention as the teacher, Coach Finstock, continues to speak but finds himself drifting off in boredom. Coach, as Jackson shortens his name to, isn't saying anything interesting or worthwhile to the Argent male. He wasn't, like more than a few others in the class, in the Lacrosse Team and the teacher kept going on and on about it.

Alex ends up sharing a look with his sister who, like him, seemed to be fighting the need to yawn with boredom. It this was what he was going to have to sit through everyday then he really wasn't going to like this.

"Now," Coach says with a clap of his hands that pulled the older Argent out of his thoughts, "I'm sure you all heard about the girl in the woods. If you haven't... Hmm, dead girl in woods. The end." He glances around and takes in the looks being aimed at him, most of which are filled with a resigned horror at the way he was speaking of the incident.

Alex didn't make a sound but gives his sister a comforting look when she turned wide eyes towards him. Apparently his sister hadn't heard about dead girls, something that he suspected Lydia, who she had been hanging out with, had been expertly avoiding any mention of. Really, he thought, it was quite the skill, he would have to ask Jackson about it one day.

Then again, most of the students only said it in hushed voices, he had only over heard because he had been sitting behind a girl that had her sister killed.

Fortunate for him he supposed.

Unfortunate for her.

"Most of you have probably heard about it." The teacher announces without any hesitance, "in fact some of you might have even been there when it happened," narrowed and suspicious eyes gazed around the classroom.

"The Police," Coach continues on as if he hadn't just accused his entire class of murder, "has given a curfew. After school you're to go straight home, if you have lacrosse Practise you're to get picked up."

The rest of the class follows the same vein, stating things that most of the class knew already so Alex tuned him out and gazed out of the window.

That was the second time he had heard of the murders, his forehead creased, maybe something was going on in the town, perhaps he should look into it.

Inwardly he scoffed and shook his head, that was the kind of thinking that always led into a Horror Movie and Alex was fairly certain he didn't want his life to be like that. For some reason it never ended well for the characters' involved.

Let the Police look into it he thinks as he eyes slide out of the classroom, they'll be able to manage it.

* * *

It took several hours, a car trip and a 'see you tomorrow' to Jackson before Alex was back in the house he was now calling his own. His bag, previously hanging loosely on on his right shoulder and filled with books, dropped to the ground with a thud as he shrugged if off and walked towards the kitchen.

No one, he came to realize after grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and pouring himself a drink, was in the house. He knows because his mother, father or Allison would have already started complaining about the bag had they been in.

It feels odd, he thinks as he bites into the fruit, being in the house alone. Then again, it was also the first time since they arrived in town that the entire family had something to do on the same day at the same times. Perhaps that was what he found the most odd about the situation. The simple fact that everyone but him had something to do.

He sighs and looks around. What could he do now?

He eventually settles on watching a movie he doesn't remember the name of on the TV in an attempt to pass the time. It doesn't work. Instead he finds himself scowling as he makes snide comments about the stupidity of the characters involved along with the idiotic plot line he's meant to believe had a possibility of happening. He doesn't buy it for one second. No way would any of it happen, his life wasn't a horror movie.

Looking up when the house phone rings Alex switches the TV off and goes to answer it. "Hello?" He answers as he glances at the hallway wallpaper surrounding him. He'd have to ask his mother but maybe they could change the entire thing to something else that didn't resemble a scene from his worst nightmare.

He frowned when a barely familiar baritone spoke through into his ear. Jackson, Alex thought with a scowl when the conversation had ended and he placed the phone back in its cradle, was going to die.

* * *

"Why is it," Jackson growls as he stomped behind Alex, "that every time I spend time with you outside of School it ends up involving darkness and a deserted place?"

Alex shrugged but didn't refute the statement. It was, in part, the truth after all. In the last three days Jackson had known him, two of which had ended up with them disobeying the curfew that had been set and wandering around in the dark. Neither of which the others' Girlfriend had particularly liked if Jackson's complaints were to be taken into account. How she had found out Alex didn't know but he suspected that it was due to Jackson's weak nature when it came to Lydia.

Not that the Argent male blamed the other in any way at all for being so. Lydia, he had realized in the last few days of knowing her, seemed like the type that wouldn't accept no as an answer let alone a reasonable one.

"Besides," Jackson continued on with his complaints as Alex turned the flash light towards some bushes, "it's not even my dog." Alex gave a hum in response as he repeated the motion with the flash light onto another bush. "And your not even listening are you?" Alex made a sound in agreement and only just heard Jackson's sound of annoyance at being ignored. "Come on," the blonde tried in an attempt to get an response out of Alex, "you seriously can't be angry that I gave Deacon your number."

"That's the thing!" Alex hissed back without turning his head to face Jackson. As far as he was concerned the other didn't deserve to be looked at. "My parents hate dogs! If they find out about it they might actually kill it!"

Jackson rolls his eyes and Alex might not see it but he heard it. That and he had been around Jackson enough to know that the other had been wanting to do that all afternoon since they had met up after Alex had called the blonde and Alex had been ignoring the male.

"What kind of vet is Deaton anyway?!" Alex exclaims in frustration as he turns the torch towards the trees. "What Vet allows an Animal in their care to escape? How did he not even notice it leaving the building? Its a Damn German Shepard for Gods Sake!" He pauses and Jackson almost bumps into him as another thought comes to him. "How did it even get out? I don't remember there being a Doggy Door for it to be able to get out..."

He trails off in dumbfoundment, deciding that maybe he should give it a rest. Apparently there would be no logical explanation behind the escape of an adult white German Shepard during the daytime. According to Deaton, and the Police, - when Alex had weedled Jackson into phoning for him, - there hadn't been any sightings of the animal.

Which had brought them to the current predicament they had found themselves in. Searching the woods at night when they should have been safely at home and obeying the orders of the Police and their Town wide curfew.

Jackson is quiet for a few seconds before moving in front of Alex with a shrug. "It was probably Scott." It isn't really an answer, more a loose version of the definition, but Alex understands where it comes from. Why, to Jackson, it explained everything in a neat and organised way.

Jackson hated Scott. Scott disliked Jackson. They didn't get along. Scott had suddenly gotten a boost in the sport that Jackson was good at and earned a spot on the team, the team Jackson was the Capitan on. Scott also was, according to several conversations Alex had eavesdropped while waiting in the hallways, hopeless at many things.

Ergo, to Jackson, Scott was to blame.

Completely logical. Not irrational at all. A prime example of deductive reasoning at its finest.

Alex sighed in annoyance. "Do you think we'll be able to find the dog?" He'd been about to comment about how it might not have been Scott's fault but had decided that those words might have sparked a minefield he didn't want to touch and decided against that. He'd settled on a question about the objective they had found themselves pursing.

"I don't know," is the helpful response from Jackson. "The dog would be anywhere by now. We're just going off of the idea we have that it might have returned to where you found it." A glance at the trees that surround them makes the Blonde backpeddle, "or, around where you found it."

Alex makes a face of agreement with Jacksons words. They'd already looked at the small bushes on the road where Alex had first found the dog. It hadn't been there so Jackson had suggested that maybe it was somewhere in the radius of the area but not in the same place.

The Argent hadn't been able to find a flaw in the suggestion. He hadn't known to begin with why the dog had been on the road. It might have been suffering under malnutrition but it hadn't been hit by a car. It hadn't been injured. For all intents and purposes it was a pretty healthy dog with no reason to hang around a road in the bushes.

Unless, the dark haired Argent considers, it had been abandoned. Left behind by its owner to survive, or die, by itself. The thought makes him scoff and Alex scowls down at the torch in his hands. They didn't know whose dog it was, they didn't know they story behind why it had been there. He shakes his head to erase the thought circling around it.

He was getting ahead of himself. They didn't know anything about the dog. All they did know what that it had been near the road, that he had found it, taken it - with the reluctant help of Jackson - to the Vets and then, somehow, it had escaped without anyone knowing how.

It's not anything to go on and Alex only feels more fustrated as the realisation settles in that they might never find the dog. That it might have disappeared, that it might have not even existed in the first place and he had made it all up to give himself something to do in this spectacularly boring town.

He's about to speak his thoughts when he turns the light of the torch to Jackson. Jackson who hadn't moved an inch since he had moved a few spaces in front of Alex. Alex frowns in confusion as he moves beside the frozen male.

What he does see he doesn't expect to see.

"I think," he comments idly as he continues to stare in the same direction as Jackson, "we know why the dog stayed around here."

After all, if Greyfriars Bobby could stay loyally beside the grave of his owner, why couldn't the German Shepard do the same beside the car crash of its deceased owners?


End file.
